$500 tip puts Portsmouth waitress 'in shock'

Kentucky man brings generous mission to Seacoast restaurant

PORTSMOUTH — A Kentucky man on a mission across the country to leave large tips at restaurants in the name of his late brother made one local waitress's day after deciding to make her the latest beneficiary of his goodwill effort.

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By Charles McMahon

seacoastonline.com

By Charles McMahon

Posted Dec. 13, 2013 at 2:00 AM
Updated Dec 13, 2013 at 7:17 AM

By Charles McMahon

Posted Dec. 13, 2013 at 2:00 AM
Updated Dec 13, 2013 at 7:17 AM

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PORTSMOUTH — A Kentucky man on a mission across the country to leave large tips at restaurants in the name of his late brother made one local waitress's day after deciding to make her the latest beneficiary of his goodwill effort.

Seth Collins, 34, of Lexington, Ky., on Wednesday handed a $500 tip to waitress Taylor Dube after dining at The Portsmouth Gas Light Co. Pizza Pub on Market Street. Collins is handing out the tips in honor of his brother, Aaron, who died in July 2012 at age 30.

Dube, 23, of Dover, said she had first heard about Collins' nationwide giving campaign the night before he entered the pizza pub.

"A couple had told me about it the night before, and I remember thinking, 'Oh he'll probably never come in here,'" Dube said.

Lo and behold, the very next day, Dube became the 83rd recipient of Collins' acts of kindness. Collins, she said, spent only about $7 on the pizza buffet, but left much more than a customary 20 percent tip.

"When he started giving the money to me, I was in shock," she said. "I was like, 'No way.'" Having worked at the popular downtown eatery for the past three and a half years, Dube said the wad of $20 bills she received from Collins is by far the largest tip she has ever received in her career as a waitress.

When reached Thursday on his way to Boston, Collins said he has enjoyed traveling across the country attempting to put a smile on a few people's faces.

Collins said the giving effort began after he discovered his brother's will, which indicated he would like a generous tip to be given to a waitress at a local restaurant.

After raising money from his family and friends, Collins said, he followed through with his younger brother's wishes and generously tipped a local waitress.

Collins said it was intended to be a one-time act, but the first tip was recorded on video and posted online. By the next morning, Collins said, the video had gone viral and donations began pouring in.

Collins said his PayPal account reached close to $50,000 within days.

Around the same time, Collins said, he was laid off from his job as an information technology manager and decided it would be the perfect time to hit the road to fulfill "Aaron's Last Wish."

"I realized I wanted to give back all across the country and impact a wider group of people," he said.

Collins said he has about 10 more states to check off his list before he is done.

Meanwhile, Dube said, she is very appreciative of what Collins did for her, especially during the holiday season.

"It's definitely very exciting," she said. "I'm very appreciative for Seth. He's a really nice guy."